Shooting range's missing guns found in criminal hands, court told

Court documents reveal the operator of an Adelaide shooting range had its firearms licence cancelled because a number of guns missing from the business were found in the hands of criminals.

The shooting range and gun dealership, operated by Marksman Training Systems in Franklin Street in the city, was raided by police on Monday, and firearms were seized.

Police said they were acting on a District Court order allowing them to check the firearms.

The operator of the shooting range rejected reports the business was raided by police.

A statement from a lawyer said the range voluntarily surrendered some of its stock of guns to officers.

It said the firearms were delivered in an orderly way, at a time agreed to by the owner of the range.

Marksman is appealing in the District Court against cancellation of its firearms and firearms dealers licences effective since April 16.

It argues a delegate of the Registrar of Firearms erred in finding the business was not fit and proper to hold the licences.

It also argues the registrar erred in finding that "cancelling its licences was justifiable in the public interest or that public interest required the cancellation of the licences".

The business said it was denied procedural fairness and should be given back its licences.

The cancellations came after voluntary audits by police in 2009 and 2011.

Reasons outlined for cancellations

A letter from the Firearms Review Committee has been placed on the District Court record to show reasons behind the licence cancellations.

It said recent audits revealed that nine semi-automatic handguns and one rifle were unaccounted for.

"Some previously outstanding firearms were found by police in the hands of criminal elements and enquiries are still ongoing in that regard," it said.

"The committee can only speculate but commonsense indicates that, with adherence to the legislation, firearms would be easy to check on a daily basis and the likelihood of mistakes, thefts, etcetera would be identified quickly.

"Marksman claims an ex-employee was responsible for the 10 firearms and this may be so but the police are not aware of any evidence except a statement from a female employee who claimed she knew of (the employee) stealing one hand gun.

"The firearms act and regulations have made it clear about the responsibilities of dealers' mandatory movement records of firearms and identity records by attaching 'tags' to all firearms and scrupulously recording the details of people and firearms in their record books. These requirements are simple and easy to maintain."

Marksman's records indicate approximately 2,000 firearms transactions in the past year, or about seven per day. The committee said those were "hardly large numbers".

The committee said the "audit-related difficulties" faced by Marksman and police in locating firearms could "only be attributed to the dealer not meeting legislative requirements over time, not just a short-term aberration or momentary lapse".

"[Marksman] failed to report suspected stolen or missing firearms earlier, deciding instead to conduct their own investigation. This resulted in important records not being placed on police databases in a timely manner and reducing the chances of locating the firearms."

Gun 'linked with Finks gang'

Last November 28, an Astra .22 calibre self-loading pistol was allegedly found by police with someone associated with Finks bikie Dylan Jessen.

Jessen and his former girlfriend have both been charged with possessing a firearm and other offences as a result.

They are yet to enter pleas to those charges.

The letter from the Firearms Review Committee also noted Marksman had yet to implement the recommendations of a coronial inquest on separate suicides of two people at the firing range.

Coroner Mark Johns recommended the South Australian Government consider suitable tethering of weapons or use of bulletproof screens to prevent any user from turning guns on themselves.

The committee noted Marksman had met police about the recommendations but not acted, although it was not required to.

Marksman was granted a stay of the order cancelling its licence and could keep operating, pending the appeal.